We've discussed a handful of elements found in The Division, and many referenced the dangers you'll face while attempting to bring some semblance of order back to the city. These are threats that will exist both in the Open World (the name given to the main Player Vs. Environment, or PvE, domain) and The Dark Zone (basically Hell on Earth). It's time to bring these factions to the forefront.

Above are the four main enemy factions you will come across in the streets (and below them) of New York City. After the outbreak, and swift dismantling of civil services, much of NYC was left in chaos. Riots, looting, murders, mass hysteria. By some, it was viewed as the perfect opportunity to seize the moment. A moment to take control. Let's take a brief, but closer look at each group.

Rioters

Rioters consist of common thugs and criminals who took to the streets, looting and murdering, for the supposed sake of survival. Many of them have formed gangs, each with their own leader. Even though this hierarchy exists within their ranks, no one individual controls all of the gangs, each being its own separate entity.

These gangs roam the streets in packs, taking what they want, killing who they want. They prey on the weak, and seem to have little qualms about whether their victims are men, women, or children. I'd say they were the worst scum from the bottom of the barrel, but...

Rikers

When the lights went out, a collective light bulb sparked to life among the inmates of Rikers Island: Freedom. After successfully orchestrating a jail break, these rapists and murders set in motion plans of vengeance. While the inmates may have consisted of criminals belonging to various gang affiliations, they all pledged allegiance to LaRae Barret.

United under Barret, a ruthless, cunning psychopath, the Rikers are more organized than Rioters. And where Rioters have no clear cut motive, Rikers are fueled by vendettas, targeting anyone in uniform and making one thing clear: now that they are out of Rikers Island, they aren't ever going back. If they can't have New York, then nobody can.

Cleaners

The Cleaners are an outfit made up of former sanitation workers. Many of them were cut off from the outside world, their homes, their families, once the wall went up. The group is lead by Joe Ferro, whose wife was one of the first victims of the virus. Believing they had no other choice after the military and medical support ended, Cleaners took matters into their own hands. Their solution? Burn away the disease. Cleanse the streets with fire.

As misguided as their cause is, Cleaners truly believe that the only way to save the city, and the world, is to burn everything down and start fresh. They patrol the streets looking for anyone who may be a carrier of the strain. Not that they have any real way of knowing. It's kind of a "better safe than sorry" scenario...

Last Man Battalion

The Last Man Battalion (LMB) is a private military company lead by Charles Bliss. They were originally hired by prestigious companies in attempts to protect their wealth and assets during the chaos that ensued from the pandemic. However, after time, like most everyone else, they were abandoned when the situation hit critical mass.

Now the LMB plan to restore order in their own fashion: an iron fist. Out of all the factions, the Last Man Battalion are the most dangerous. They are skilled military personnel, specialists with access to some of the best weapons and gear available, and revel in combat. New York City is now the battleground for their own private war. A war deemed patriotic and lucrative by many who were abandoned and left to fend for themselves.

All for None and None for All

Despite the insurmountable enemies you'll face, there's one small silver lining. Even though many of these factions have the same end-game, none of them are united. In fact, they view one another as direct threats. So many times you will find various factions locked in a combat to the death on the streets of NYC. You can decide to intervene, taking them all out, or if feeling the odds aren't in your favor, leave them to their own devices to kill one another, making your job all the easier. The choice is yours.

Regardless, an important thing to remember is that all of these factions roam in groups. If you see one member, know that others aren't far behind.

Which faction do you like the best, and why? If playing the game, which faction do you find the most deadly?

It’s been a long while, so I thought I would give a brief look into the reason(s) behind my absence. You’ll have to forgive my potentially awkward, stilted jibber-jabber. It may take some time for me to get warmed up…

Dreams in the Shade of Ink is back with more Flash Fiction for the A to Z Challenge 2017! Last year my segments throughout April painted a puzzled tapestry of prose and I hope to provide some new, entertaining stories that you'll enjoy!

recent META

The A to Z Challenge 2017 is over and it's time to reflect on how the event went! There were booster pack openings, there were storylines and mechanics to observe within the world of Magic: The Gathering!

Join me as I discuss the ups and downs of this year's Magic Mixer theme.

This year for the A to Z Challenge 2017 Meta MTG presents the Magic Mixer! What's that mean? Your guess is as good as mine... What I do know, however, is that this year's theme is obviously still all about Magic: The Gathering!

Join me as I attempt to highlight a different Magic set each day of the challenge in different ways, from pack openings to discussions about a set's storyline and/or mechanics!